I can learn so much about buddhism, psychology, working of the mind etc but in the end it always turns out 1 way for me. I'll try out something new as far as my idea of mental development and practice goes (examples: turn the mind inward, or relax the feet posture to help relax the way it holds the body, or spend time with your inner child and love yourself)

Then as I go through daily life, it works, great I'm feeling good and I can socialize well with minimal anxiety. It goes sour as I start trying to practice the different methods all day long. I keep trying to have a 1 particular technique or method to live by, like a magic pill. Usually I'll drag my "method" out through more good experiences with it and bad but in the end it crashes and burns.

Even if I focus on having no method, this ends up becoming a method for me! What do I do!!?I realize most of these practices are beneficial... But in small amounts.. It makes sense to take 5-20 minutes out of the day to practice certain things like these in a secluded area as they are wholesome I believe, but I always take it too far...

For a person like me, what should I be focusing on during the day? Today I was tense and decided just to step back from havin a method of mental development, and things lightened up. But I feel I will always need some sort of "technique"What should that be?

Awarewolf wrote:Then as I go through daily life, it works, great I'm feeling good and I can socialize well with minimal anxiety. It goes sour as I start trying to practice the different methods all day long. I keep trying to have a 1 particular technique or method to live by, like a magic pill. Usually I'll drag my "method" out through more good experiences with it and bad but in the end it crashes and burns.

Can you give more detail on what method you tried which turns out bad?

Awarewolf wrote:But I feel I will always need some sort of "technique"What should that be?

The Noble Eightfold Path.

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

By relaxing and keeping the feet muscles calm and in good posture, I find the rest of the body can naturally follow and become relaxed and able. Good posture follows, and the confidence that can come from that. Now maybe this is a smart realization as far as the bodily frame of reference goes of and posture in general.But in a certain example maybe I had become too confident in my results, and as I kept sticking to the idea of the feet and their posture I began to lose touch with the people I was surrounded with in a social scenario as we conversed.. and anxiety and bad feelings took over.

At one time the Blessed One was living in the Kurus, at Kammasadamma, a market-town of the Kuru people.

Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus as follows: "This is the only way, O bhikkhus, for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the destruction of suffering and grief, for reaching the right path, for the attainment of Nibbana, namely, the Four Arousings of Mindfulness."The Four Arousings of Mindfulness

"What are the four?

"Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu lives contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending (it) and mindful (of it), having overcome, in this world, covetousness and grief; he lives contemplating the feelings in the feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending (them) and mindful (of them), having overcome, in this world, covetousness and grief; he lives contemplating consciousness in consciousness, ardent, clearly comprehending (it) and mindful (of it), having overcome in this world covetousness and grief; he lives contemplating mental objects in mental objects, ardent, clearly comprehending (them) and mindful (of them), having overcome, in this world, covetousness and grief."

The Four Kinds of Clear Comprehension

"And further, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, in going forwards (and) in going backwards, is a person practicing clear comprehension; in looking straight on (and) in looking away from the front, is a person practicing clear comprehension; in bending and in stretching, is a person practicing clear comprehension; in wearing the shoulder-cloak, the (other two) robes (and) the bowl, is a person practicing clear comprehension; in regard to what is eaten, drunk, chewed and savored, is a person practicing clear comprehension; in defecating and in urinating, is a person practicing clear comprehension; in walking, in standing (in a place), in sitting (in some position), in sleeping, in waking, in speaking and in keeping silence, is a person practicing clear comprehension.

"Thus he lives contemplating the body in the body internally... and clings to naught in the world. Thus, also, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu lives contemplating the body in the body."

Why are you so anxious the distill the entirety of Buddhist wisdom into a myopic technique?

(I'm not having a go at you, I just honestly don't understand the reasoning behind it and would like to understand)

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

As far as why, I don't know. That's just how I am. I think since started with spiritual discovery I've managed to see more than I can handle... And I'm now trying to find a calmer place to stay on this boat while keeping on the same journey.

The problem I see with synthesizing a "technique" is that it becomes your practice, in-and-of itself, whereas the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path should entail Right View driving your effort, speech, action, livelihood, mindfulness, mental composure etc. in the right direction. Once the "technique" becomes divorced from Right View, there's no assurance that it's right... as you've found out from your experiences.

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

Awarewolf wrote:So basically, whatever I do, keep right view in mind so that the rest of the eightfold path can unravel on its own?

Really simply, yes. But have a look at the sutta and you'll see how it 'unravels' in practice.

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7